


Open Up Your Sky, Turn Up Your Night

by HiLovelyComeIn



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Fluff, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, No Smut, Noble!Harry, One Shot, florist!Louis, sorry about that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-15
Updated: 2014-11-15
Packaged: 2018-02-25 11:12:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2619671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiLovelyComeIn/pseuds/HiLovelyComeIn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What’s the matter, Lou? Do you not like dancing?”</p><p>“Harry everybody’s staring at us. Just stop it. Please.” Louis stepped back, but Harry pulled him closer than before, chest to chest.</p><p>“Why do you worry about it? No one knows who you are here; all they can do is watch.”</p><p>“But… Harry-“</p><p>“But nothing. I invited you so you could have fun, so we could have fun. So let’s, okay? Can you do that for me?”</p><p>Again, Louis wanted to say no; he should have said no. Everyone was already looking at them like they were stepping on puppies, they didn’t need more attention. But of course, it’s Louis, so what could you expect him to say?</p><p>“Okay.” He whispered, and so they danced.</p><p> </p><p>(aka Victorian!AU where Harry is a noble and Louis works at a flower shop.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Open Up Your Sky, Turn Up Your Night

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for my bad english since it's not my native lenguage, feel free to correct me!  
> This is my entry for Karukara's fic contest. I got a bit carried away and got lost in my ideas (meh, what can I say, im very diperse).  
> Enjoy and stuff <33

“Louis, you will not believe what I heard” His sister’s voice echoed through the store as the door was closed shut soundly by the wind.

“What do you want, Charlotte?” He replied in an exasperated voice. No one gets to interrupt him while he’s working, no one.

“It’s Lottie, you bum face. Anyway,” she added a brief pause, just for a dramatic effect, “Emily just told me the most marvellous news; the Duchess of Cheshire is in town, isn´t that splendid?”

Louis’ eyebrows furrowed immediately as he took in what his sister was saying. Why is Lottie so excited about nobility coming to their city? She hardly knows which county is where, let alone who the duchess is. He put down the flowers he was working with and slowly turned around to face his slightly agitated sister, “And why should _that_ be relevant to me?”

“Well,” she said as she picked on the flowers of a small bouquet, “said duchess happens to have a really attractive son and a very charming daughter. So I thought maybe you’d be interested in her.” Lottie ended her sentence with a wink.

“Bullshit, you only want me for company while you follow that poor boy around the streets.” Louis turned back to the flowers he was working with.

“Oh come on, Louis, that only comes as a side effect. I truly, honestly, actually want to help you find a girl. Don’t you think it’s already time for you to get married? You’re not getting any younger, dear brother.” Louis couldn’t help but to huff sarcastically at that. _A girl_ , he thought to himself, _as if_.

He kept his mouth closed.

Louis didn’t realize when his sister made her way to his side and started poking on his cheek. “Hey, I can see it in your face. You know you want to come with me. Pretty please?” she said while blinking repeatedly. Louis turned around to see a pout creeping on her lips.

“Do you see mum around here? No. Which means I have to look for the shop and you, young lady, should be helping me with the flower arrangements.” He finished pointing at her chest with his finger.

“Fine, but we’ll go stalk them as soon as we finish here.”

“You’re going to get us arrested.” He laughed softly, a notorious hint of fondness in his voice.

“Oh shut up and pass me the ribbons.”

***

The flower shop was a very lovely place. It’d belonged to the Louis’ mother since before he was even born, but since she gave birth to her second pair of twins and had to stay home to take care of them, Louis, Charlotte and Felicite had to take care of the shop. It wasn’t that hard really; Lottie and Felicite took turns between the shop and household duties with their mother while Louis worked as a florist fulltime. At that moment, it was only Louis and Lottie.

They worked peacefully for about an hour and a half, throwing withered petals at each other once in a while. Louis was about to call it a day and close the shop when he heard the door opening. He was too busy tying up a bunch of flowers to pay attention to their new costumer. _Lottie can take care of that_ , he thought; or at least he did before he heard his sister gasping.

“Mister Styles!”

He looked up to see Lottie taking a bow in front of a very tall, fancy looking, young man. He was wearing a long, black jacket with a high collar shirt underneath. The top-hat in his head made Louis scoff inevitably.  As it seemed, he was taking in his surroundings when his eyes found her and immediately took her hand and kissed it. Louis swore he could hear Lottie’s mind screaming.

“Excuse me, mademoiselle, I was hoping to find the best gift for my hosts here in Doncaster and one of my maids told me you have the most exquisite flower ornaments in the whole county of Yorkshire. From what I can see, I think I’ve been sent to the right place.” The young man said as he brought a lily to his nose to smell it. _His voice sounds like dark chocolate_ , Louis thought, and where the hell did that even come from? If anything, this ‘mister Styles’ sounded pedant and pretentious _. Dark chocolate my pants._

“I, well I think… I m-mean I… I’m afraid I can’t help you with that, but umm…” Lottie stuttered out of nerves, _cute_. And then her face lighted up like the sun, “Louis! Yes, Louis can help you. Right, Louis? Louis!” She said as she walked fast towards her brother and grabbed his arm to whisper harshly into his ear, “This is the duchess’s son I was talking about, and he’s _a marquis_ , so please behave.”

He freed his arm out of her grip, “As if I’m the one who doesn’t know how to behave.” Louis muttered while smoothing out his sleeve where Lottie´s hand was grabbing and took a step forward, closer to their client. Now that he looked at him properly, he was able to make out his features better. A soft halo of brown curls framed his face, his plump pink lips curled up in a smirk as he looked at the Tomlinson siblings in front of him. His stare was so intense Louis thought he could distinguish the exact shade of green in his eyes from the other corner of the store. It was a face that could only belong to a noble, and _what a coincidence that is._

Louis cleared his throat soundly and shook his head in an attempt to also clear the thoughts out of his mind. _Not the right time_. “How can I help you, sir?”

“As I said before, I’m looking for a present to give to my hosts and I thought flowers would be suitable.” The man talked as slowly as he walked, pacing through the store shelves filled with flowers, his hand grazing softly over the thousands of petals. He stopped gently and looked at Louis right in the eyes, “Do you think you can help me with that?”

The young florist turned around to where he was working previously, uncomfortable under the man’s glare. “Of course I can. Did you have something in mind?”

Without any warning, the duchess’s son walked to where he was standing and stared at him again. “I was thinking something soft, something simple but beautiful. Something like you.”

Louis smiled down to his working hands, a soft blush creeping up his cheeks. _Stop it; not the right time, not the right person!_ “You’re going to have to be a bit more specific than that.”

“Roses. I want roses, like the ones in your hands.”

“These are umm… These are yet to be finished. Let me find you something else.” Louis quickly walked to the other side of the store, rummaging through the shelves. His hands couldn’t stop shaking, because his mum’s flower shop where he and his oblivious, innocent sister were working was not the place for a man to flirt with him. What if she discovers he likes men? What if she finds him disgusting and tells the priest about it? _No, Lottie wouldn’t do that_. But then again, he couldn’t be so sure.

He soon found a small bouquet of pale pink roses. It was soft, simple, beautiful and, most importantly, _it will get this man out of my shop before something terrible happens._

He came back with the object in his hands and before they could stablish a price, ‘Mister Styles’ took it from Louis’ hands and got a small bag with money out of his pocket and handed it to him.

“I believe that’ll pay for your services. Thank you so much, it’s a beautiful arrangement.”

“You are very welcome, sir.” Louis said in disbelief as he opened the small bag; _definitely more than what the flowers cost._

“I’m going to stay in Doncaster indefinitely, so you’ll probably see me around. In case you were wondering, my name is Harry.”

“Mine’s Louis.”

Out of the sudden, Harry reached for Louis’ hand and kissed gently as he did with Lottie’s earlier. Louis could feel his face burning in a mix of embarrassment, shock and fear; _Lottie is still here, for fuck’s sake_. “It’s been a real pleasure, Louis.” The name rolled out of his tongue with so much class and gracefulness, and Louis didn’t know how to respond to that, so he kept his mouth shut.

With the same tenderness, Harry made a gesture of farewell towards Lottie and walked out the door. Once they heard the wheels of his carriage rolling through the cobbled alley and away from them, she spun around to face her brother.

“That did _not_ just happen.”

And that was exactly what Louis was thinking, but he couldn’t bring himself to talk. Or to move really, because did that beautiful human being just kiss his hand? Like he was a fucking _damsel_? _Right in front of Lottie_?

But she wasn’t bringing that out, so he didn’t either.

“Louis? Are you still there? I’m talking to you!” Lottie grabbed him by the shoulders and started shaking him from side to side with the biggest smile plastered on her face.

“Yes.”

“Yes? That’s all you have to say? Harry fucking Styles was right here, he kissed our hands, and all you have to say is yes?” She brought it out, but she doesn’t care. _That’s a good sign, isn’t it?_

“Why did he kiss my hand?”

“Because you’re a pretty boy, aren’t you?” She said as she tickled his sides.

“Wait, what?”

“Come on, you could see the hearts bursting out of his eyes from Ireland, and you didn’t seem much different. Are you going to tell me you didn’t like him?”

“I mean, he was very charming but…”

“But what?”

“Lottie I’m a boy! I’m a boy and I’m supposed to like girls, not other boys! Doesn’t that bother you?” He explained, throwing his arms in the air in frustration.

“I know you’re a boy _Louis_ , and I know he’s a boy too. But does that really matter when you two are looking at each other like that? Besides, I already suspected you were into boys, since you were never interested in the girls I met you up with.”

Louis took a deep breath not knowing what else to do or say, because that wasn’t the reaction he was expecting at all. He couldn’t even bring himself to tell her that no one was looking at each other in any way, he just nodded in silence.

“Now come with me, you weirdo. I need to find something for mum’s birthday and _you_ are going to help me.”

And just like that, she grabbed him from his arm and dragged him out of the shop like a rag doll.

_If Lottie isn’t the coolest person in the world then everything else is wrong with life._

_***_

The next day, Louis passed by the emporium down the alley to pick up some breakfast for him and his sisters before going to the flower shop, just as he did every day.

He was on his way back with an apple on his hand and a bag filled with bread and fruits in the other when he heard two of his sisters, Charlotte and Felicite, giggling from inside their mother’s store.  With a raised brow, Louis pushed the door with his shoulder and the view he got as he entered was so shocking he let the apple fall down to the floor.

Because Harry Styles himself was leaning on _his_ desk, talking with _his_ sisters, looking just as fancy as the day before.

_What even is his life?_

Almost as soon as he heard the door closing behind him he saw Lottie walking towards him with open arms and a bright smile. “Louis, you’re here! Look who came to visit us again!” she said as she placed one of her hands in his lower back.

Louis opened his mouth but no words came out of it, all he could do was blink. _Doesn’t this guy have more important things to do than wonder around the roads of an unknown city?_ It was a complete mystery to him.

“Mister Styles was just asking for you when you walked through the door!” His other sister intervened from where she was standing next to Harry, playing with a strand of her own hair. _Wow, just wow._

“Isn’t that a funny coincidence, Louis? I was curious about your whereabouts.” Harry beamed at him and the dimples that appeared on his cheeks as he did came as a big surprise because Louis had definitely not noticed _that_.

“I was… I just went out to pick up breakfast.” He finally said, his voice so unsure it almost came out as a question. “Why are you here?”

“I was sort of expecting a warmer welcome if I’m honest, but I guess I understand. See, I happen to have a certain liking for flowers and, since this is the best place to find them, I thought it’d be nice to hang around for a bit.”

“Is that so, mister Styles? Do you like flowers as well?” Felicite inquired, still twisting the same piece of hair between her fingers.

“Fiz, why don’t we go make breakfast for the twins? They must be awake by now.” Lottie said as she moved next to her sister, awareness clear in her face.

“But mister Styles is here! We can’t leave our guest alone.”

“Louis can take care of that, right Louis?”

At the mention of his own name, Louis seemed to snap out of his daze, quickly catching up with the conversation. His eyes fell on Harry for a second; he appeared to be a little upset by the way his sisters were talking about him, like he wasn’t even there. Louis even noticed a small pout forming on the noble’s lips, and he couldn’t keep himself from smiling. Then he turned his head to where the girls were standing.

“Sure I can.”

“We’re heading out then. If you need any help, just shout.” Lottie smiled, dragging her frowning sister through the door that connected the flower shop with their own house. He heard Felicite whining quietly before they both disappeared completely.

And then they were on their own.

Harry cleared his throat, which only added more awkwardness to the silence that took place between them. “You don’t mind me staying here while you work, right?”

“Sure I don’t. This place can get really lonely sometimes, so I guess I’m glad you stayed.”

“Are you, by any chance, saying you enjoy me as your company?” Harry said as he picked up a flower to bring to his nose (a move that was starting to become familiar in him) as he smirked.  Louis stayed silent, out of words to say.

***

“What are you doing?” Harry beamed next to him. Louis almost jumped out of his skin. _Weren’t he just in the other corner of the shop?_

“Jesus Christ, you almost killed me!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Harry chuckled softly, and it was positively the most adorable sound Louis had heard in his whole life (or maybe he was kind of falling for this boy, who knows.), “I just saw you working and felt curious. So, what are you doing?”

Louis was perplexed by the change in Harry’s attitude. Honestly, in that moment he looked like a five year old trapped in the body of a twenty year old. “Umm… nothing interesting really, it’s literally just tying up a bunch of flowers.”

“But I’d never seen bouquets as pretty as the ones you make before, you truly have a talent.”

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about now. It’s just flowers.”

“You say it like flowers weren’t important at all.” Harry said, looking so offended Louis almost wanted to punch himself for ever making a comment about it. Almost.

“I don’t know, they’ve always been just a part of my job.”

Harry bit on his lower lip, as if he was considering whether to say what he had on his mind or not. “When I was younger, whenever I visited my great aunt, she would take me and my sister for a walk to the valley. At the end of the day we would all end up with small wild flowers hooked in our hair. You know, I grew up in a world filled with luxury and extravagance and obligations, but those days were the closest thing I got to a normal life. I guess all flowers remind me of that now.” He smiled down to his feet, and _he looks like the cutest thing like this_. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this, you probably don’t even care.”

Instead of answering right away, Louis took a flower from a vase and gently put it behind Harry’s ear. When their eyes eventually met, his green eyes were brighter than ever, and Louis smiled smugly at the accomplishment, “Flowers are perhaps more important than I thought, aren’t they?”

Harry just smiled and nodded.

After a brief pause, Louis decided to voice the question that'd been kicking around inside his head since the beginning of the morning, “Why did you want to hang out here? I mean, you probably have more important people to meet or something like that.”

“As I said before, I’ve never lived quite the regular life, and as a result of that, I’ve never had many friends. I’m rather lonely, really. Everybody I meet lately seems so… fake? Like, they’re all empty, only interested in my family’s wealth. But you look like you genuinely care about what I have to say, and there’s something in this place that just calls for me. Does it make sense? I think it doesn’t.”

“It does a bit.” _Very eloquent Louis, kudos to you._

“It doesn’t matter. The point is that I very much enjoy your company and, well, I’d really like us to be friends?” Harry said tentatively, making it sound like a question. “I mean, only if you wanted to.”

It was truly amazing to see him going from handsome, confident, wealthy young gentleman to shy, insecure, lonely boy. Mesmerizing.

“I’m also quite the loner if I’m honest, but I think we can be alone together.”

Harry smiled, and he was positively glowing.

***

It wasn’t a surprise to see Harry standing out the door the morning after.

“You know you can enter without my permission, right?

Harry’s smile came before his answer, “I think visiting you without invitation for three days straight is inopportune enough, don’t need to add another thing to the list.”

“I don’t know much about the world you live in but right now we are in mine, and in my world we don’t give two fucks about politeness.” Louis said, sounding much fonder than he initially intended to, “Please come in.”

As Harry steeped inside, Louis noticed he was hiding something behind his back. He made no comment whatsoever, waiting for Harry to give his own explanation instead.

When he finally spoke, his cheeks were covered in an intense blush. “I was umm… yesterday I was out in the garden, the one from the house I’m staying in and… I mean, I found this flower and it’s really beautiful and I thought… I didn’t see any of these in your shelves yesterday and I thought you might want it. So here I am, and here it is.”

Harry moved his hand from his own back and showed the present to Louis. It was a red dahlia; Louis recognized it as soon as he saw it. But the intensity of its colour was something he had never seen before and it had him staring at it for a while. A wine red displaying in all its petals, turning into black the closer they got to the middle. The mysterious obscureness of it had Louis hypnotized, or maybe it was the fact that this boy was giving him _a_ _bloody flower_.

Harry cleared his throat and the sound of it brought Louis out of his trance. “It’s really gorgeous Harry, thank you. I’m going to go but it on a vase.” He said as he took the flower from Harry’s hand and walked out of the room and into his house. He went straight to the room he shared with Lottie and Felicite and sat on the floor to think for a second. Because there’s this boy a couple meters away, with big eyes and bright smiles and soft hair and _flowers_. And yeah, it’s possible that he’s already taken Louis’ heart away.

Louis smiled to himself, because he knew he was _special_ and that, unlike every other man he knew, he liked boys. But _this_ , this was completely different. For a second he let himself think that Harry could be attracted to him too, based on this weird atmosphere they’ve been building around themselves; he let himself think that maybe there was someone out there for him, and perhaps that someone was waiting for him to come back to the flower shop.

He slowly stood up and brought Harry’s flower up to his nose to take in its scent, just to be cliché about the whole situation, but found himself tragically disappointed as he remembered that dahlias don’t smell like nothing at all. As soon as he found a place for his little gift to be, he made his way out of the house and inside the shop.

When he stepped in, the first thing he saw was Harry sitting on the floor examining the unfinished bouquets he always put at the bottom of the shelves. He looked up from where he was sitting and acknowledged his presence with a smile, and then went back to focus on the uncompleted posies.

“You never told me the reason of your visit.”

“I already told you, I wanted to give you the-“

“I mean why you are here in Doncaster.”

Harry seemed to contemplate his answer before voicing it, but he said it eventually. “Remember I told you about my great aunt?” As a response, Louis nodded silently and waited for the marquis to continue, “Well, she lives here in the city, and she’s been terribly ill lately. My cousins say these are her final days, so my mother decided to make her company until she leaves this world. After all, she was the woman who raised her. Her house is not too far from here, actually, she lives right next to the parish because she’s married to the town’s bishop and-“

“Wait,” Louis interrupted abruptly, a hint of disbelief, “so you’re telling me that your great aunt is Lady Pemberley, the matriarch of the richest family in the whole county?”

“Well my mother is a duchess; I don’t know what you are so surprised about.”

Louis remained silent.

“Anyway,” Harry proceeded, “yes, I’m staying with my great aunt, that’s why I wanted to buy those flowers that day when I first met you. She’s very passionate about flowers, and recognized they were from this place as soon as she saw them. She even congratulated me for my good choice, so I guess I own you a thank you, don’t I?”

“Lady Pemberley knows about our shop?”

“Everybody does, it’s the best flower shop after all.” Harry smiled, and then both of them stayed quiet, never becoming awkward.

Harry was the first one to speak. “I think I better get going, my mum will start to wonder where I am soon”

“Yeah, I need to get back to work.” Louis offered his hand for Harry to shake, “It’s been a pleasure as always,”

But the young marquis didn’t go for a handshake or a kiss in the hand as he did when they first met. Instead of that, he stepped into Louis arms and gave him a wholehearted hug. Taken aback by his actions, Louis stayed still for a bit before wrapping his arms around Harry’s shoulders. Without saying a word, the green eyed boy stepped out, turned around and walked towards the door.

As he was opening it, Louis dared to speak again, “Will you be here tomorrow?”

Harry just smiled and walked away slowly, leaving the other boy on his own again.

Without thinking, Louis slid down the wall and sat on the wood floor, sighing happily at the memory of just seconds ago, when they were closer than Louis had ever been to another person before, one’s arms wrapped around the other.

_Maybe this is what love feels like._

***

“Want to go for a walk?” Louis said as soon as he saw the other boy entering the room.

“What? What about the shop?”

“Lottie and Fizzy can take care of it. Besides, I already finished the orders for today, they’ll be fine.” Louis said, pulling Harry outside by his arm. The young noble almost tripped over trying to catch up.

“Where are we going anyway?”

“Just wait and see.” Louis smirked. They walked in silence from there, taking turns around the city Louis knew like the palm of his hand.

***

“Wow…” That was the first thing Harry said as they arrived.

Seeing Harry talking so emotionally about his childhood the other day had given Louis and idea. Now they were standing in front of the valley, the one next to the field where Louis’ mother had planted the flowers for the next season and were now starting to blossom. The sight was truly breath taking; a beautiful mixture of red, blue, yellow, white and magenta dotted around a huge extension of wild grass, the sound of the river flowing only added to the peacefulness of the scene.

“I know”

They stood there in silence, just admiring the picture in front of them. Then, unexpectedly, Harry started running down the hill, his usual top-hat getting lost in the way as the wind blew against him. As he got to the riverside he dropped to the floor, hands behind his head. When Louis finally reached him he was happily welcomed by Harry with his eyes closed and a relaxed smile.

“Come down and lay next to me.”

And Louis did just that. Once again, silence took over the moment and Louis decided to close his eyes and embrace this moment, because the birds are singing and the wind is blowing and the most amazing person is lying right next to him. It almost felt like magic.

He was on the verge of falling asleep when Harry’s deep voice brought him back to reality. “It’s your turn.”

“My what?”

“Yesterday I told you about my family, now I want to hear about yours.”

Louis was a bit taken aback, because none of his all-time friends had ever asked him about personal stuff, he had never met someone who cared enough to ask; and he never thought that _marquis Harry Styles, son of the Duchess of Cheshire_ , would be the first one to do so.

“My family? Well, there’s not much to say. I have five younger sisters and a little brother. You know Lottie and Fizzy, then there’s the oldest twins, Daisy and Phoebe, and Doris and Ernest were born just months ago. My mother, Johannah, is the owner of the flower shop, has been since she was very young, but then my father died and now she’s been taking care of the house and my younger siblings while I’m in charge of the shop.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Oh don’t be; that man had always been bad to us, used to beat the shit out of my mother and, when he got her pregnant, he took his anger out in me. So it’s not much of a loss really.” Louis said, trying to hide the bitterness of the memory and doing a terrible job out of it.

Harry wiggled closer to him and wrapped his arms around his waist. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that, Louis. No one deserves to be treated like that, especially you.”

Louis let it slip; let slip the fact that Harry basically just said that he thinks he’s important, that he’s special and he deserves to be treated well. He let it slip because Harry’s arms were holding him, and maybe not only in a physical way, because Louis felt like if it wasn’t for Harry right there he would have burst into tears. But he didn’t.

He closed his eyes once again. _Yeah, this is magic._

***

They spent the rest of the day wondering around the fields, picking up the flowers they liked the most. At one point, Harry asked Louis to braid his hair, hooking the flowers in it, and since he had perfected the art of plaiting after years of styling his sisters’ hair, he agreed immediately.

He was finishing the first braid, the one on the right side of his head, when Harry dropped it. “There´s going to be a ball at the Pemberley’s next week, my sister and cousins organized it.”

“A ball?”

“A masquerade ball. It’s a bit dumb really, but Gemma, my sister, wants me to be there.”

“Isn´t it a bit disrespectful to throw a party at the same house your great aunt is dying?” Louis asked, not knowing where Harry was heading with this conversation.

“That’s what I told Gemma, but she said it’s to ease the tension of the people in the house, to distract them or something along those lines. Anyway, the thing is that since I don’t know anybody else here, I thought I could go with you, if you want to come of course.”

Louis thought he could have screamed with happiness, but the feeling didn’t last long. “Harry, we don’t belong to the same class, I’m not even allowed to get close to a house like that.”

Harry turned around smiling big and after he took Louis’ hands in his, he proceeded, “That’s why it’s perfect, Louis. It’s a _masquerade ball_ , people won’t be able to recognize you or tell whether you’re wealthy or not. And since I’m going to put your name on the guest list, you’ll be capable to get inside without a problem. So, what do you say?”

Louis wanted to say no, he really did, because Harry wasn’t considering the dangers of someone finding him in there, let alone someone discovering Harry invited _another man_ , even if those weren’t his intentions. It was scary as hell, but Harry´s hands were enveloping his and _that’s the most important thing in the world, isn’t it?_

“Okay,” he said, “I’ll go with you, but I don’t even have the proper attire for a masquerade ball.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, I´ll take care of that.” Harry beamed at him, slowly dropping his hands and turning around to where he was seated before so Louis could continue with Harry’s braids.

Once Louis was done with the other one, he spoke again, “Harry, you’re a marquis right?”

“I am, indeed.”

“Then shouldn’t I call you Mister or Lord or something?”

“You should, yes, but I don’t want you to.” Harry turned around to him again. “I like it that you never treated me like nobility, like I’m actually a person and not just a family name. It makes me feel normal and, as you know, that’s one of the things I appreciate the most.”

Louis nodded understandingly, holding out his hand for Harry to stand up. After he did, they started walking and Harry continued.

“The only people who never called me Mister or Lord, besides my immediate family, are you and my piano instructor but-“

“You know how to play the piano? I’ve always wanted to learn.”

“Of course I do, I learned when I was four, it´s like a requisite for high society. Anyway, she never called me anything because she thought I didn’t deserve it. You do it because you know it´s ridiculous to do so. That’s one of the things I like the most about you, you don´t see titles, you see people.” Harry looked at him smiling and Louis smiled right back.

They stayed out in the fields until a little before the sunset. They picked up Harry’s top-hat on their way up the hill and then hid his braids with it so he could keep them for a little longer. Harry walked Louis to the shop and told him he was heading to the Pemberley household. When he got to his room, Louis’ smile was so big his face was hurting.

***

Louis never in his life thought he’d get slightly close to see what an aristocrat’s house looked like, yet there he was, standing in front of the Pemberley’s land with Harry by his side and he could only stare in awe.

“It’s bloody huge.” Was all Louis could say.

“I know, but you should see my house. _That_ is bloody huge.”

It all began two days before, in the fields, when Louis told Harry that he always wanted to learn how to play the piano. He’d said it as a comment for the wind to take, but apparently Harry had taken it very much seriously, because the next day he stomped into the store claiming that he _was going to teach Louis how to play the goddamn piano._

As soon as Harry was told by his mother that all the women in the house were going to have a day out and that he was going to be left alone, he went running to pick Louis up from his house and drag him to where he was now staying.

“Come on, let’s get inside before my uncle comes out of the parish and sees us.” Harry took Louis hand ( _Harry took Louis hand_ ) and walked him though the big entrance and into the front yard of the Pemberleys. Louis was fascinated about how much it looked like the paintings he had seen people selling next to the market.

By the time they got inside Louis was awestruck. The floor was made of the darkest, finest type of wood, and it contrasted very well with the whiteness of the walls. The majority of the furniture pieces were covered in exquisite patterns and finished with fragments of gold and marble.

“Come on, the piano is upstairs!” Harry exclaimed as he made it running to the second floor, Louis following right behind.

They slowed down as they approached to one of the rooms; it had three big windows that almost went from floor to roof, from where the sunlight entered in a way that gave the room some sort of heavenly look. There was a black grand piano right in the middle, and Harry was already walking towards it.

“So you’re really going to teach me?”

To which Harry only answered “I never break my promises,” as he signalled for Louis to follow him. He did and they sat together in the piano bench.

“Put your hands over the keys,” Harry instructed and, when he did, he enveloped his big hands over Louis’ smaller ones. Louis felt his heart skipping a beat, “now follow my movements”

And they began to play. It wasn’t completely bad since Harry was basically the one playing, but they had to go slower than the original song since Louis still wasn’t used to the instrument.

Despite their size, Harry’s hands felt so light and soft over Louis’ own, guiding them through a melody he wasn’t even paying attention to. It wasn’t his fault, it’s just that Harry was _so close_ like this, and the tension he had expected to feel being in this situation was completely inexistent.

Louis began to wonder how good these hands must feel caressing his cheek, or running through his hair, or holding the back of his neck so very lovingly as he leaned in for a kiss, or… _no, stop._

_No. No, no, no, no._

No because Harry is his _friend_ , and probably will never be something more than that. Louis is the weird one, he is the freak. Harry is normal, and probably will end up married to a beautiful rich girl and will forget about the only friend he ever made, that florist from Doncaster who cared about him and was also secretly in love with him.

 _Sad_.

“What’s the matter?”

Harry’s voice seemed to bring him out of his thoughts. Only _then_ he realized they weren’t playing anymore, and he could see the other boy out of the corner of his eye looking at him with his head tilted, questioning.

“What do you mean?”

Harry chuckled softly, “Lou, you’re frowning! You’re going to get wrinkly.” he said as he lifted one hand to thumb the tension away from the crease of Louis’ eyebrows. And yes, Harry’s hands _did_ feel good against the soft skin of his face. Harry rested his hand on the side of Louis’ head and they stared at each other in silence for a few moments. But then Harry’s fingers started massaging his scalp and _fuck it_ , Louis needed to do it; if he didn’t, the thought of it would eat him alive.

So Louis kissed Harry. He kissed him with all he got.

All his thoughts, all his supressed feelings, all his _love_ was poured in that kiss. Louis felt so light he thought he could fly away if someone opened the window, and the warmth spreading through his chest confirmed that _this must be the most perfect moment in history._

Except that Harry wasn’t kissing him back.

 _Petrified, Louis was petrified_. He slowly pulled away, opened his eyes to find Harry blinking rapidly and looking down at his lap, not daring to look Louis in the eyes. The expression on his face was impossible to read, but it sure meant something bad.

“I think I should go.” Louis said in a shaky voice, tears threatening to fall.

“Yeah, you should.”

 _No, this isn’t happening._ How could Louis be so stupid? His bottom lip was trembling as he walked out of the room and down the stairs. He was practically dead now; _Harry’s uncle was the fucking town bishop!_ It was a matter of days until his head was succumbing to the power of the guillotine. But it didn’t matter anyway, because he wouldn’t be able to see Harry ever again if he lived anyway.

At the bottom of the stairs he heard Harry’s voice from the second floor and it was so weak it almost felt like a whisper. “Louis… wait.”

He stopped dead in his tracks, only a faint hint of hope in the back of his mind. He turned around, waiting for Harry to speak again, but he never did. All Louis could see was Harry looking away, his face twisting in a grimace that reflected something indescribable. _Pain? Betrayal? Disappointment?_ Whatever it was, Louis couldn’t stand it anymore, so he made his way back home.

***

When Lottie opened their room door she wasn’t expecting to see her brother with a red face stained with tears, breathing heavily and just _straight out ugly sobbing._

“Oh my dear! Louis, what happened?”

Louis made a pained noise as he closed his eyes, “I fucked up, Lottie,” and then his sister’s arms were holding him tightly, her familiar scent calming him in a way, “I fucked up so hard…”

“Shh baby, everything’s going to be alright.” She said, running her fingers through his hair.

_“I don’t think it will be…”_

***

Harry didn’t show up next morning, nor did he the morning after.

It wasn’t like it surprised Louis or anything; he was pretty much expecting it. It’s just that it was so much more real now, and he was scared shitless.

He could die (he was shocked that he wasn’t dead already), but that wasn’t what he was afraid of. He was afraid of loneliness, because for a second he thought he had found someone like him, he thought he wasn’t alone; he thought he had found someone to be with, to _love_. But he was mistaken, and now the most beautiful and caring human being to ever exist was out of his life, maybe forever. All because of a stupid kiss that was never meant to happen.

_How did Harry even become so important to him in such a short time?_

It’s not like he’s all that special. He’s just a curly haired, green eyed noble who’s tall as a mountain and has dimples for days; a noble who also cared for him, who listened.

A noble who became his friend… and now he was gone.

***

During the day, Louis would tear up a couple of times (or maybe more, but no one needs to know that) because of how painful and frustrating the whole situation was. _Maybe if he wasn’t a freak, he would still be friends with Harry._

“Come on, Louis, you can’t let it affect you this much.” Lottie said, rubbing soothing circles on Louis back as he cried… again.

He didn’t answer; he didn’t have the energy to explain himself once more.

***

It was past midnight, almost a week since he last saw Harry, when he heard the sound of pebbles hitting against his window. After about ten minutes, silence reigned over the room again and only then he could bring himself to stand up and see who was outside.

But when he opened the window, the only thing he found was a wrapped box with a note attached to it. As he picked it up, he could read the only two words written on it in the most delicate handwriting he had ever seen.

_To Louis x._

Startled, Louis ripped the package open and opened the box to find a bundle of folded clothes in it. A red velvet waistcoat was the first thing he saw, followed by a silky shirt, whose material was so soft it felt like water in Louis’ hands. Underneath them he found some simple black pants, a stripped undershirt and a pair of white gloves. And if his confusion wasn’t enough already, under all the clothes there was another note in the same calligraphy.

_“Cover your face when you feel like breaking but don’t hide yourself from the ones who really matter”_

_You’ll need this for tomorrow, I told you I’d take care._

And it all became clear to him but, as if looking for a confirmation, he let his eyes rummage along the box and _there_ , lying beautiful in the bottom of the packet, was a mask. Delicate burgundy porcelain decorated with soft white spirals.

Louis didn’t know how to react, so he took the note in his hands and brought it to his chest, pressing it against his pyjamas with a trembling smile creeping on his lips.

_Maybe Harry had forgiven him._

***

“Louis you look stunning!” His sisters chirped as he stepped out of the room where he was changing.

It was almost time for him to leave and he was now fixing the last minute details of his attire. He did look pretty good, if he was honest. Harry had done a really nice job choosing his outfit.

“Alright girls, time to say goodbye to your brother.” His mother said as the girls hugged him one last time. They were leaving already when Lottie turned around and embraced his brother again.

“Woah, Lottie! What is this for?”

She stepped back with her hands grabbing him by his shoulders, “I don’t know, I just felt like I needed to do it.” They stared at each other deeply for a few seconds and Louis thought that this had to be the weirdest yet intense moment in his life. “Listen Louis, I want you to know that no matter what happens tonight I love you with all my heart and that you are the most wonderful brother I could ever ask for.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you’re talking about, love.”

“I’m scared, brother. You know how things happened and I think saying that the way they did is strange might be an understatement.”

“I still don’t get it.”

“Let’s just say that tonight things can go really well or terribly wrong. Please be careful, I don’t want him to do the same things our dad used to do to you.”

He knew that, he knew that he couldn’t put his hands on the flame for Harry. This ball could be an evil plan to out him and get him arrested for what he did. Still, there was a small chance for him to get it right, for Harry to forgive him; there was a small chance for them to be friends again and Louis was faithful.

“I know what I’m doing, Lottie, you don’t need to worry about me. And even if it goes wrong, I’ll find my way out of it. You know how I am, there’s no need to be anxious about it, okay? I’ll be fine.”

“Okay.” She said, then threw her arms around him again, “I love you a lot.”

He hugged her strongly because _Lottie was just the best_. “I love you a lot too.”

She picked up the mask from the bedside table, tied it around the back of his head and fixed it in place. She looked at him with a thoughtful frown on her face. Then, her eyes lit up and took in her hand a red rose from a flower vase nearby and hooked it on the lapel of his vest. “You look lovely. Go have fun but please be alert, you know anything could happen.”

“I know and I will.” He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead before adding, “You are in charge now.”

Lottie was about to say something else when their mother’s voice came sweetly from the flower shop. “Louis, I think you should come here!” As they heard it, they ran to where Johannah was looking out the window. Louis got a little bit closer to see what his mother´s eyes were fixed on and what he found outside almost took his breath away.

Harry’s carriage was parked outside the shop, that same carriage that used to drive the marquis there every morning before the previous week.

Louis could see from there that Harry wasn’t inside, but if it was there, that meant Harry must have sent it. He went outside and was met by Harry’s chauffeur. “Mister Louis Tomlinson, it’s time for us to go.”

***

Once he was inside the house he realized of the big mistake it had been to go, because everything was _so scary_. Hundreds and hundreds of inquiring eyes judging him from head to toe, hiding themselves behind fancy masks. Everyone walked past him and stared at him, and it felt like everything was in slow motion, like a horrid nightmare. _Louis wanted to run away._

In fact, he was about to do so, and that was when he saw Harry walking towards him.

It would have been hard for anyone else to find him in the big crowd of dancing people, but not for Louis. The young florist only had to take a brief look to know that those emerald green eyes were the ones he’d been miserable for.

He looked so elegant and beautiful. It was a very simple set; a white shirt quite similar to Louis’ own, black pants and a large black cloak turning it into a unit. And even though his face was almost completely covered by a birdlike mask, Louis knew behind it was that same gorgeous face of the boy he’d been missing.

Louis felt like everything was going silent around them when Harry opened his mouth, a shy smile playing on his lips as he spoke, “I thought you wouldn’t come. I’m glad you’re here.”

Louis debated whether or not he should play along with Harry and act like nothing ever happened. He decided to stick to his original plan. “Listen Harry, I’m… I’m sorry for what I did, I shouldn’t have done it. Like, I never intended to do it, it just happened and it was very disrespectful and I regret it.” Louis bowed his head down in signal of reverence and added. “I beg you for your forgiveness.”

Harry lifted up his mask enough for Louis to see him and the first thing he noticed was the slight frown on his face. The young marquis stared at him with an unsettled look on his face for a few seconds, then shook his head. “Forget it, I don’t want to talk. At least not now. Could you please put it on hold for a second?” Harry put his mask back down and took the rose from Louis’ lapel. “I want to dance.” So before Louis could say anything, Harry was dragging him through the dance floor.

Harry took Louis’ hand in his, placed the other one over his waist and they started dancing. Louis couldn’t even think of a word to describe how uncomfortable he felt. Not because of Harry, he was actually the good part of the whole situation, but because he knew everyone was glaring at them, judging. Louis made an attempt to drop Harry’s hand but the other boy only held on tighter.

“What’s the matter, Lou? Do you not like dancing?”

“Harry everybody’s staring at us. Just stop it. _Please_.” Louis stepped back, but Harry pulled him closer than before, chest to chest.

“Why do you worry about it? No one knows who you are here; all they can do is watch.”

“But… Harry-“

“But nothing. I invited you so you could have fun, so _we_ could have fun. So let’s, okay? Can you do that for me?”

Again, Louis wanted to say no; _he should have said no_. Everyone was already looking at them like they were stepping on puppies, they didn’t need more attention. But of course, it’s Louis, so what could you expect him to say?

“Okay.” He whispered, and so they danced.

***

The awkwardness of it only lasted for the first few minutes and then Louis got carried away by the music and the room’s smell and Harry’s presence. They danced and had fun all night. Every once in a while Harry would lean in and whisper some obnoxious joke in Louis’ ear that he could only laugh at. It was the perfect night.

At one point they stopped dancing and just talked for the rest of the night. Suddenly, Harry turned around to take a look at their surroundings, then held his hand out for Louis to take and only said, “Come with me.”

Louis did, hand Harry took them to one of the empty corridors, not far from where they were, got his mask off and leaned in front of one of the big windows that let some of the moonlight in. He looked a bit sad and thoughtful.

“Harry, are you okay?”

“Can we talk about the other day?” Harry blurted out, and Louis was a little worried about his reaction.

“Harry I’m really sorry, I never-“

“No!” he exclaimed, then added in a quiet voice, “Please listen to what I have to say.”

Once Louis had nodded, Harry proceeded, “I know you think you did wrong but… Look, all my life I felt different than the rest and I thought… I thought it was because I never really belonged to high society. But then I met you and…” Harry grabbed him gently by his shoulders, “Louis you were a friend to me, something no one had ever been before. And ever since I first saw you I thought you were the most beautiful person I’d ever seen. I realized that there was something missing in my life and you brought that something and… Oh god, Louis, when you kissed me I was so scared and I didn’t know what to do. I acted like a real moron and I’m really sorry.”

“I-I don’t understand.”

“Do you trust me, Louis?”

“I do.” He whispered.

“Then please close your eyes.”

He did as Harry asked him and shortly after he felt another pair of lips against his. He dared to open one eye only enough to see if he was mistaken but surely he wasn’t, because it was Harry Styles who was kissing him. Louis was utterly shocked at first, but soon the same warmth in his chest from their previous kiss invaded him, and he was kissing Harry back.

Harry’s hand found its way to Louis’ jaw and stayed there, almost like he felt that Louis would disappear if he didn’t get a hold of him somehow. They broke apart from the kiss when both of them needed to take a breath, but neither Harry nor Louis stepped out of their embrace.

“Harry…” Louis said wondering, his eyes never leaving the pair of green ones.

“Louis I’m sorry if you thought I wasn’t… Louis I care about you, _a lot._ I’d love it if you give me a chance to make you happy.”

Louis only wanted to say yes, but he knew that everything was against them this time; there was no way for them to be together. Harry was a bloody noble; no matter what he did, everyone would talk about it the day after.

“But we can’t-“

“Yes we can! I’ll make it work, I promise. Just,” Harry enveloped his hands around Louis’ lovingly as he talked, “ _please_.”

And it was true, he could see it in Harry’s eyes. He smiled sweetly as he lifted their hands to his chest and was about to speak when a female voice popped their little bubble.

“Mister Styles?”

They both turned around as fast as they could to find one of Harry’s maids looking them, then her eyes travelled to their linked hands and her face twisted into an ugly grimace of disgust. “Who is he? What are you doing?”

Harry looked at Louis, and his eyes reflected the same desperation he was feeling, but none of them could utter any words out. Again, the maid’s voice brought them out of their shock.

“I’m sorry, Mister Styles, but I must inform this to the duchess.” She said as she sprinted out of the hallway. Louis was terrified; because this, _this_ was the end of him, quite literally. Louis only wanted to cry but apparently Harry had other plans, because he was tugging at his arm, trying to make him move.

“Harry what are you doing?” He said in a trembling voice.

“Running away.” And that was basically all Louis needed, because the next second he was following Harry’s steps.

They got to the house lobby and ran through the couples dancing there, not giving two shits about the commotion they were causing; _they needed to get out of there fast_. Someone shouted Harry’s name as they made it through the door, but they didn’t look back. They all around the town and stopped behind the market to take a breath once they were out of sight.

“I think we lost them.” Louis said breathing rapidly, his face fixed in a huge smile filled with adrenalin. He turned around to check on Harry and found him staring at him fondly. “What?”

“Are you really coming with me?”

“I mean, it’s not like I have many choices,” he said jokingly, making Harry giggle, “but if I have to run away, you’re the only one I’d go with.”

They smiled at each other in a blissful silence. Louis thought about what the future held for him; _for them_. He had just met this boy a few weeks prior, yet he knew that he was about to embark in the biggest adventure of his life with him, and he’d never felt happier.

“Oh god Harry, do you even know somewhere we could go?”

“We can build our own city; I don’t care as long as I’m next to you.”  Harry intertwined their fingers then smiled down to him. The cold night air grazed their faces and something about it told him that everything was going to be fine; they were going to be fine.

 _They were going to be perfect, actually_.

**Author's Note:**

> I swear I had a great idea but somehow it turned into shit. Sorry if you wasted your time reading this, lots of love <3


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